Shades: Alt-Time
by ShadeslayerZycron
Summary: What would happen if we did one thing different...? This story takes place in an alternate timeline where Zycron saved Drake Shade's life, but at the cost of his own. Mature content warning.
1. Chapter 1

Drake Shade looked at the crumpled body at his feet, a knife in its back and blood pooling around it. His hands shook in fear as he picked up the knife and carefully removed it from the body. "Zycron... why did you do it...?" He asked, but there was no reply...

* * *

A few months later Drake and Zed walked along the road to Vaniville, both silent. Neither had spoken much after Zycron was killed in the alley. Sera had run off never to be seen again. Their mother had died of grief.

Zed spoke up. "Drake... what will we do... without Brother...?"

Drake shook his head. "There's nothing we can do, Zed... those thugs ran off to a different region, so they were jailed away from Kalos... Zycron would want us to live on... don't you agree?"

Zed nodded. "Yeah..." he sighed. "Brother saved your life, Drake... but this might have completely changed what is to come. Espeon and Zycron..." Zed couldn't help crying at the thought of the two lying there on the pavement. To think of it hurt too much.

Drake put an arm around his two year younger brother. "It's fine to cry, Zed... it is always fine..."


	2. Chapter 2

Drake sat across from the green-haired kid that was apparently 2 years younger than him. Apparently they knew Zycron. "DJ... was it? I'm sorry I'm the one to bring you the news."

DJ shook his head. "This time I wasn't able to meet him... he was supposed to go to a tournament in Unova a few months from now."

Drake nodded. "Yeah... he was. But how'd you know? And what do you mean 'this time'?"

DJ looked at Drake. "What if I said each option had infinite outcomes, yet only one gets chosen at random?"

Drake thoughtfully put his hand to his mouth. "You're talking about the infinite timeline theory, aren't you." DJ nodded. "I see... I'd say it makes sense to me... wait, are you saying you have actually seen them?"

DJ nodded. "Yes... and there's an alternate timeline where Zycron didn't run to save you, and you and Jolteon had managed to crawl home... Zycron had killed your attackers after you died in his arms."

Drake had reached for a fry and dropped it in shock. "Wait, you mean-?!"

DJ nodded again, somehow calm. "Yes, there's a timeline where Zycron was never able to save you, and he never forgave himself. He went almost completely pacifistic, refusing to kill... that's the timeline I came from."

Drake rubbed his head. "This is... a lot to hear... but I don't find it impossible. Thanks for the talk, DJ. I'll see you around."

DJ gave a small smile. "Thanks for the meal. I'll handle the tip... also you may want to talk to this person named Kamryn. Here's his contact info... in the other timeline you ended up having a sister who loved him... she would have been born two years from now."

Drake took the paper DJ was offering him. "I'll make sure to meet up with him... maybe I'll find Sera someday soon, too."


	3. Chapter 3

Drake checked the address of the house with the paper he held and nodded. "This is the place..." he knocked on the door.

The person who opened it surprised him; it was Sera. "Drake! Umm... what are you doing here?" She was wearing a large tee but Drake could tell she had nothing on under it. He ignored how she was dressed and looked at the paper.

"Sera, is this the home of Kamryn? DJ said he lives here."

Sera nodded. "Yes... it is, Drake."

Drake nodded. "I won't ask why you're dressed like that, Sera, but may I come in?" Sera nodded. "Thank you."

Sera was only four years older than Drake, but already she seemed a young adult. Drake walked past her and sat at the kitchen table. A few minutes later a kid the same age as Sera walked out of a nearby room, his clothes disheveled. "I didn't expect anyone coming by... a friend of Sera's?"

Drake nodded. "Yes, and I'm guessing you're Kamryn?"

Kamryn nodded. "Yep. You must be Drake. You look a lot like that guy Sera had a crush on... before he died. Sorry for the rough appearance, we were still sleeping."

Drake shook his head. "It's fine. I shouldn't have woken you two up so early. So why is Sera here?"

Kamryn looked at the strange girl. "She's here because I was the only one left she could go to... her father wouldn't listen and her sister has been missing for a 6 years now. I'm glad I found her after that horrible day." Sera walked over and set a pot of tea, a smile on her face. Kamryn smiled back at her, something seeming to glimmer in his eye. "The future here has been changed, who knows for better or worse. Either way Sera and I will still be together."

Drake, seeing this, nodded. "I'm glad she has someone to go to... but have you heard that my mother had died of grief? If you're waiting for someone... I'm afraid they won't be here..."

Kamryn glanced at Drake. "I already know that, Shade. The two of us, Raina and I, may be connected in other timelines, but due to the events that happened here... We're all going to have to be careful about what we do."

Drake nodded, a silver sword he had carried shining and turning into a small white-haired girl about 7 years old. "We will be... I've got Lux and Zed to look after."


	4. Chapter 4

Two years have passed since Drake met with Kamryn. He opened his door to see a package. "It's here..." he didn't open it, but rather wrapped it in a paper.

"What's this?" Lux poked her head to his left, where he covered the label that read "Argus" before she could read it. "Nothing, a gift for a friend," he replied.

Lux just nodded. "That Seno girl had you buy it for her, didn't she?"

Drake blushed. "Yes, she did. She was going to buy it herself but was too afraid to."

Lux tilted her head. "Why would she have been afraid, Drake?"

Drake finished wrapping it. "Let's just say her parents don't approve of her hobbies."

* * *

A few hours later, Drake snuck out to the meet-up spot he and Seno often visited. He was surprised to already see her there. "Seno, was there any trouble Tonight?"

Seno Takayato shook her head. "No trouble, Drake." The nine-year-old girl smiled.

Drake smiled back. "Good, that means there should be no trouble sneaking back in." He handed her the box. "Here, came in today."

Seno smiled and hugged him. "Thank you, Drake." He blushed at this, but didn't push her away.

After a few minutes he spoke up. "Seno, I have a bad feeling about this game... don't play it."

Seno looked at him confused. "Why not?"

Drake just shook his head. "Just promise me you won't."

* * *

A few days had passed, Drake having not heard from Seno. This was normal so he hadn't thought of calling her. Then Zed spoke up. "Hey, our town is on the news."

Drake looked at it, then turned up the volume. The announcer had a shocked tone. "Reports say that Sword Art Online, the game that just launched yesterday, has caused hundreds of deaths around the globe. One of these is a young girl of nine years, one Seno Takayato. Her parents have no idea how she got the Nervegear that she was using, but are suspecting that she bought and hid it from them herself. Meanwhile-" suddenly Drake's partner Pokémon, a Jolteon, struck the tv with lightning. Drake dropped the bowl of cereal he was carrying.

Zed and Lux looked at him in shock as the bowl shattered. Drake stared at the TV and uttered a single word "Seno..."


	5. Chapter 5

Drake looked to Lux and Zed. "Well...? It's time."

Lux, 13 by now, looked to Drake. "Drake... should we tell Kamryn and DJ?"

Zed glanced at her. "Lux, they have enough on their minds right now. Sera and Kamryn have a kid, and DJ is in Springdale."

Lux nodded. "I know... just he would like it... Zycron..."

Drake rested a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry, Lux, we can be the only ones... otherwise this would get too dramatic. Besides... I'm sure they are planning to do it themselves." Lux nodded.

Just last year, on Father's Day, their dad, and Sera's father, also, were killed right in front of them. Sera had found out and nearly killed Drake before realizing he wasn't to blame for it, Kamryn almost succeeding in holding back her rage. Drake assumed the role of father to keep Lux and Zed stable.

Zed looked at his older brother. "Drake, we should probably go."

Drake nodded. "Of course... come on guys." He led them out and to a clearing in the woods, where a single grave lay. On it, barely legible due to exposure, read the name "Zycron Shade". Drake knelt near it and, emotionally, said some words; "Happy birthday... Big Brother..."


	6. Chapter 6

Lux stared at Drake. "Zed, Drake's been awfully down lately." The thirteen year old girl sighed. Kamryn, DJ, and Sera all are trying to get him to go have some fun, forget about his sorrows.

Zed nodded, his crimson eyes having an interested look. "We all should. Where did they suggest?"

Lux held up a small paper. "They suggested here. It's the water park that was just built not too long ago."

Zed looked at it. "'Mantine Land'? They named the park after a Mantine?"

Lux put her hands on her hips. "Hey, Mantine is a great Pokémon!"

Zed nodded. "I won't argue with that just it's a strange Pokémon to base a park off of... yet it does look fun." Drake pulled the paper out of his hands, reading it.

"You two, go pack your things," was all he said.

* * *

A few hours later the three of them arrived at the park. DJ, Sera and Kamryn were already waiting there.

"About time," Sera said, "we nearly went in without you three." She was grinning widely.

Kamryn just smiled and somewhat playfully, somewhat seriously punched Sera's shoulder. "We wouldn't do that. We promised."

DJ just nodded. "Well, our intention is to have fun. No use moping around all day for no reason."

Drake nodded. "Which is exactly why I decided to come. Not because you three are so nice to me."

Lux whispered to the three. "It is because you guys are so nice to us. He just won't admit it."

Drake seemed to notice. "What was that, Lux?"

Lux laughed, smiling, "nothing, Drake."

Zed cleared his throat. "So, are we gonna go in or not?" Everyone unanimously voted to go in.

Once they were in Lux pulled Drake to the Lazy River. "Let's sit here for a while."

Drake sighed. Lux had been trying to advance on him since she found out she wasn't related to him. "Fine, just no antics, okay?"

Lux smiled, almost knowingly. "And what would you mean by 'Antics'?"

Drake blushed. "I just meant Antics!"

Lux laughed. "I know. Now, let's just relax and have fun."

* * *

A few hours later, the park was closing. The six stepped out of the gates, a bit more wet and cold than when they had entered.

"Aww... I wanted to play more," Lux said.

Sera nodded. "We can come tomorrow, too."

Kamryn nodded. "It is the summer now... wait, where'd DJ go?"

"He went to check something out," Zed said, stretching, "something about Lillycove City in Hoenn."

Drake sighed, "well, that was a good time. I'll see you all later."

"See you!" Kamryn and Sera said simultaneously, waving as the three left on their way back to Vaniville Town.


	7. Chapter 7

Drake walked alongside Lux, "so... there's a way to fix all of this?"

Lux nodded. "Yes, there is... with only you, I, DJ, Sera, Kamryn and Zed, this is... very different than what DJ had told us... about that other timeline."

Drake sighed. "True, but... a world where I die, and my brother lives... and... Seno..."

Lux placed a hand on his shoulder. "From what I've gathered, the reason why Zycron didn't go with you is because you told him not to... but records he wrote of that night say the voice came from outside his window, not his door."

Drake looked at Lux. "So... I have to somehow go back in time to do just that? Tell my brother for him and Espeon to not to go with me and Jolteon?"

Lux nodded. "That's the simple way of putting it... but there's no saying what will happen to all of us."

Drake put a hand under her chin. "If all goes well this timeline will continue on... all of us still alive. So don't look down, Lux. You'll just drag me down with you."

Lux's eyes teared up, and she hugged Drake. "I hope so... I can't lose you. Not after I lost Zycron... the only person other than you, Zed, DJ and Kamryn to treat me as a human..."

Drake hugged the fourteen year old girl tight. "I may only be sixteen right now, but I still love you, Lux... I won't leave you alone."


End file.
